My First Derby

Hi friends! Happy Tuesday! Stephanie Here... Hope everyone enjoyed this weekend’s warm weather. I know I did…in Louisville!
This Saturday my friends and I rented a bus and trekked down to the Kentucky Derby. It was my first Derby, and first time to Louisville! I didn’t really know what to expect…or more importantly…how to dress J We of course stayed in the infield. Although I love horse races like none other (I used to ride when I was younger and went to steeplechases at UVA)…I’m not prepared to pay an arm and a leg to watch them J
I surveyed my friends here at FOX19. I got mixed reactions, ranging from Tracey Johnson’s “You’re going to the Derby?! OMG get a hat and take lots of pictures!” to our director Dale’s “You’re going to have a blast…but I’d suggest wearing jean shorts and flip flops. A college kid may throw up on your shoes.”
Hhhmm. Undaunted…I dug a sundress (not new) out of my closet, pulled on a big floppy hat, and hit the Derby. In a nutshell? It was a blast. Not only was the weather perfect (86 degrees and sunny) but also the mood was at a high.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in one place. I could barely see the twin spires over the crowd of people! It was exciting, but a bit overwhelming. Luckily everywhere you turned you could get a mint julep or a plate of bbq.
My favorite drink was the Oak Lilly, a southern take on the Cosmopolitan. Drinks were a bit pricey, but the good news is I got to keep the glasses. That’s why I had to get so many! Kidding…kind of J But seriously, the infield is not the hedonistic stuff of legend you hear. Yes there are a lot of college kids, yes some people are three sheets to the wind, but for the most part the infield is made up of good people enjoying a good horse race.
The race itself? Well, my boyfriend and I lost $50 on Hansen (the great white hope!) but we still had a blast.
Stephanie